Eye Sight
by GiggleMaster13
Summary: what happens when Haruka and Mai go out on a group date with some of their collage buddies? will their guys finally see them as women? and will everyone live through there newest case? Yakumo/Haruka Naru/Mai slight Ayako/Hosho. R&R T for horror/mystery
1. Chapter one: the meeting

**Eye Sight**

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or Psychic Detective Yakumo. Though if I did I could die happy knowing I had written such amazing story... \(=3=)/

(A/N. PLEASE NOTE! this is the re-written version, so even if you read the first chapter before, please read it again! THANKS!)

* * *

Chapter One: The Meeting.

"Fine I will than!" Mai Taniyama yelled slamming the door to SPR's office. She was fuming as she stormed past Lin, on her why out of the building. 'Stupid Naru.' She growled jogging to the bus stop; she would be late for her first day of collage if she didn't hurry.

Pulling her jacket closer against the wind she sighed, feeling drained from her latest fight with her narcissistic boss. It had been the same problem all year; she needed to do only part-time work so that she could concentrate on her studies.

But Naru wouldn't agree, he said that she had a perfectly good job, so why finish school? it was completely un-Naru like, he'd been the one (until last year) pushing her to spend more time in school-so that she wouldn't be so stupid-but now that it was Mai asking for it, he wouldn't let her? It just wasn't fair!

The bus pulled up and Mai grabbed her bag and jumped on happy to be getting away from her irritating boss.

* * *

Haruka Ozawa stared at the sleeping man, lying on the couch in the film research room. Haruka was worried about him, it had been raining almost all week, and this room wasn't exactly the warmest.

Yakumo Saito shifted uneasily, feeling someone's eyes on him as he tired to get some sleep after a long night of working with Detective Gotou. He groaned cracking him eyes opened to see Haruka looking down at him with a loving expression.

Annoyed he sat up, glaring at her. "What do you want woman?"

Tapping a finger on her chin she thought about it for a moment. "Nothing really."

She looked so cute just then that Yakumo couldn't say anything, grunting his disapproval he flopped back down to get some much needed sleep, before Gotou came back to get him later that afternoon.

"I'll be back later." Haruka said picking up her bag. "I have to meet up with some friends for lunch and then I stop by before going home." The expected silence made her smile. "See ya then!" she said closing the door with a soft click.

Yakumo sighed; he'd wished she had stayed longer, even if he'd never tell her.

* * *

Mai glared down at the caller ID on her new cell phone; Naru.

She ground her teeth, slipping the phone back into her pocket before she could lose her resolve and answer. There was no way that she was going to let him spoil her good mood with his nasty remarks. slapping her face, she shook her head clearing it.

Mai looked up at the massive school in front of her and smiled, she was about to enter a whole new world! Excitedly Mai walked up the steps and headed inside with all of the other first year students.

* * *

Haruka was late. She ran through the on coming students, trying desperately to get to the opening Ceremony. hopefully before her teachers noticed she hadn't arrived yet, there were only ten minutes till it started after all, and they had trusted her with this because she was reliable. she didn't want to betray their trust. Her speech clasped tightly in her hands, she dodged a group of tall male students and collided with a brown haired girl.

The two slammed into each other, falling over into the wall with dull thuds. Haruka dropped her speech, while the other girl spilt her bag all over the floor.

"I'm so sorry!" they said together grabbing to get all of each other stuff before someone stepped on it. Haruka smiled as the girl handed her speech to her.

"Thanks." She said as she helped her to her feet. "I'm Haruka Ozawa."

"Mai Taniyama."

"It's nice to meet you Taniyama-san, sorry but I really have to hurry..."

"Oh. Me too!" Taniyama cried catching sight of the clock. The welcoming ceremony would start any minute now, the halls were already empty of the mass of students from before.

Quickly saying their goodbyes the two girls ran in opposite directions. Haruka ran to the stage door, walking through just in time, taking her seat before the lights were turned on. Her teacher sent her a meaningful look before standing to welcome the new students.

The Ceremony was short and after shaking a few hands, Haruka was allowed to leave the teachers. Just in time for lunch with her friends. Shiori and Miki were chatting happily at their table when Haruka came up to them apologizing for being so late.

"Not a problem." Miki said waving if off. "How'd the Ceremony go?"

"Okay, I almost didn't make it." Haruka admitted slumping into her seat. Yawning, she asked the girls what it was that they wanted to talk about.

"Were both going on a group date. Some first years are going to be coming too. But we need you to even out the numbers." Shiori looked pleadingly at her. "Please? It would really be a big help!"

"I don't know..."

"Come on! It's not like Saito is going to get jealous or anything so it should be fine. Right?"

Haruka looked at Miki frowning. "And why do I have to go? I'm sure there are lots of other people who would want to go with you." Haruka said picking at her food disinterestedly.

"Because the guy you'll be partnered up with, doesn't want a girlfriend right now. So you, are the perfect match for him." Shiori said patting her shoulder. "It'll be like two friends hanging out, rather then two people on a date. How about?"

"Please come Haruka, it'll be fun we're going to the movies."

Haruka looked at her friends pleading faces and she knew what her answer was going to be, rolling her eyes she said. "Okay, I'll go."

"Yea!" both girls cried smiling.

"But don't expect me to like it."

Lunch ended, and having no classes that afternoon meant that Haruka was free to go visit her favorite club room and the young man who lived there. Yakumo was waiting for her, though not really seeming to. He watched her not listening as she blabbed on about nonsense until he heard the words 'group date' his ears perked up as he began to pay attention to the bubbling woman.

"—and since no one else wants to hang out with someone who doesn't want a girlfriend, they thought of me." Sighing, she rolled her eyes. "Really i'm to much of a push over, i'm only going to even out the numbers but really..."

"Why?"

"Why what?" Haruka asked passing him a doughnut, from the box that she had picked up on the way over, from his favorite shop.

"Why did they ask you?" he elaborated biting the squishy white powdered doughnut. He really was interested, it had been a while since Haruka's friends had asked her to join a group date, he'd been happy when they stopped, it bothered him that she was going out with other people...wait, what?

He shook his head clearing such ridiculous thoughts from it, before they could take to much of a hold on him. It wouldn't do him any good to get too attached to Haruka. he knew that there really wasn't anything keeping her with him, when she got bored she'd leave him, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Because, I don't want a boyfriend either, so it all works out." Haruka glanced over at him, concerned. "Are you alright?" she asked moving towards him, she place a small hand on his forehead, gasping she shouted. "You have a fever!"

"Hmm."

"Lay down! You should be sleeping!" Haruka said panicking, 'how could she go on a date when he was burning up?' she pushed him on to the couch and grabbed his sleeping bag. She was in the process of pushing him into it, he pushed her over trying to get more distance between them. Haruka growled wrapping her leg around him and flipping them both onto the couch, with her sitting on his legs.

"Ha! Don't underestimate me I've been taking self defense for a while now."

"Oh, really?" Haruka was so shocked by the smile he gave her that he was able to shove her over, but his hand got caught under her arm and he was pulled over, both fall in a tangled mess to the floor.

"Get off of me!" Haruka laughed pushing at his chest.

Yakumo tried to move, feeling awkward. but he was stuck. "I can't." he said coolly. they kept struggling, trying to get free until a knock on the door made them both halt their actions.

Detective Gotou had become very careful these days, having walked in on a few awkward situations, that the young pair of collage student had been in, a little too often. So he had starting knocking, today he was in to much of a hurry to wait, though so he knocked once and pushed the door opened.

He instantly wished he hadn't, the sight that met his eyes was the worst of the passed few extremely awkward positions he had seen. Anger flaring up inside him, that couldn't at least have enough sense to lock the door. "Would you two please, remember to lock the door next time!" he yelled glaring down at them. "I don't want to walk in once the kissing starts."

"Wha-what? I wouldn't. I mean..." Haruka sputtered blushing scarlet, she looked back and forth from the detective and Yakumo, confused for a second before his meaning clicked. She kicked out pushing Yakumo enough so that she could get up. he rolled on the floor holding his stomach, glaring at her.

ignoring him, she turned shaking her head to Gotou. "No, no, no, no! It is definitely not what you're thinking; I was just trying to get him into his sleeping bag that's it. I swear!"

Irritated that she had to explain everything to the intruder, Yakumo sat up, deciding to be difficult. why shouldn't he have some fun once in a while?

"Then why were you on the floor?"

"Umm... well that is we were-"

"What do you think? Did you have to walk in just then, Gotou-san really." Yakumo said lifting himself onto the couch. "You always interrupt."

Haruka paled, staring at Yakumo with an opened mouth. What was he doing?

Gotou narrowed his eyes at the human cat.

"That the two of us having been toget-"

"Wow, ignore him please, he's got a fever and doesn't know what he's talking about!"

"I don't really care, what you two do do as long as i don't have to see it." he said rubbing his temples, trying to stop the headache he could feel building in his head.

"Really?" Yakumo asked, smirking.

Haruka didn't know why but she just had to clear up this misunderstanding, before it went of any further. "You wish!" Haruka shouted startling the older man. "I'm going to be late for my date, so i'm leaving. Yakumo you need to rest or your fever is going to get worse. See you later Detective Gotou-san."

The two men stared at each other neither knowing what to say, for a moment.

"So, you lied?"

"Yeah..."

* * *

Half an hour earlier...

"Mai tea!" Kazuya shouted from his office. He was beginning to feel withdrawal from not having any of Mai specially made tea. Lin had tried to make him some, but he was horrible at making tea, and he would only make Chinese tea, which Kazuya had never liked to begin with. "Mai?"

Annoyed he got up from the couch, placing his book on the table. he made his way over to his assistant's desk, seeing that she wasn't there, he growled. He'd heard her come in just a minute ago.

"Mai!"

"Yes?" Kazuya jumped, as she popped up behind him, eyes shining. "Was there something you wanted?"

"Tea." he watched as she smiled, bouncing off to the kitchen to make it for him. He followed closely, watching her. It was strange, she looked different some how then the last time he'd seen her. She seemed happier, and less bothered by his demands lately.

"Mai, is something wrong? You're acting very strange."

Mai glanced at him over her shoulder, watched him for a moment before turning back to the tea. "Nothing, I'm just happy, I had a great first day at school, and I'm going out on a group date with some of my classmates tonight." She smiled handing him the now finished tea. "Nothing's wrong."

Kazuya stared at her.

"What?"

"Hmm?"

"What did you just say?"

"About what?"

"Mai!" he shouted losing his patience with the younger girl. It had been happening a lot lately, he wasn't sure as to why; he didn't mean to, she was just so frustrating. She made his head and chest hurt on a daily basis, and it was making him crazy. The worst part was it hurt more when he didn't see her, which was the reason that he told her not to go to a school so far away.

"Sorry." Mai said pouting a little. _'Ah, why is she so cute?'_ shaking his head, he tried to listen as she repeated her plans for that evening.

"A group date? That doesn't sound like fun at all." He said dismissively.

"Well maybe not for you, but there are some really cute guys coming, and a bunch of older girls." Mai glared. "But none of that would interest someone like you, Oh great Oliver Davis sir."

Kazuya stared shocked as his cute assistant stormed out of the office (for the second time that day) slamming the door behind her.

"Ouch." Lin stated unnecessarily.

(A/N. I need help writing this story so any comments or complaints will be treasured greatly. Please read and review!)

**(A/N. Was it weird? should i have left it as it was? hope you like it and it made you laugh! thanks for reading.)**


	2. Chapter Two: Group Dates and Stalkers

Disclaimer: I hate writing these... but since i love the real authors of these two stories i'll write a disclaimer on each and every chapter. (forgive me if i forget!) I do not own Ghost Hunt or Psychic Detective Yakumo.

(A/N: Now on with the story! Sorry that it took so long, like i explained on my profile; my sister was sick and on bed rest so i was watching her, making her meals telling her when to take her pills, etc... etc... so it took forever to write and get this up, so i'll say sorry because i worried that it might be hard to understand since i jump from character to character... sowwy (=o=)/ )

* * *

Chapter Two: Group Dates and Stalkers

Mai closed her phone looking up at Haruka and her two friends, shaking her head at the silent question. "They can't make it, the car broke down and it's going to take four hours to repair it."

The girls all groaned.

"What are we going to do now?" Shiori asked fishing in her purse for her phone.

Miki answered phone already at her ear. "We'll just have to call in some more girls."

Haruka shook her head, sitting down on the park bench. Mai flopped down next to her. "So?"

"So..."

They were silent listening to the other two girls talk into their phone. Haruka noticed Mai glancing at her vibrating phone. "You're not going to answer?"

"No, I know what he's going to say." Mai said frowning.

"He?" Haruka prodded raising an eyebrow.

"He's my boss." Haruka made a grossed out face making Mai laugh.

"I thought he was your boyfriend or something, the way you said it just—"

"Well he's only two years older, and I do like him. He's just a—"

"Jerk." Haruka finished. "I have a 'boss' that's like that too, though he's gotten a lot nicer lately."

"Lucky for you." Mai grumbled smiling. "I've known Naru almost four years, he hasn't changed a bit. But I know that he wouldn't, and I love my job, that's why he can be so mean to me, he knows I'll never quit."

"Hmmm. So you came here to get a boyfriend and pretend to get over him?"

"And show him that there are plenty of guys out there that like me."

Haruka grabbed Mai's hand bowing her head. "Please help me too Sensei!" she half yelled smiling up at the younger girl.

* * *

Yakumo didn't know why he had allowed himself to be dragged into spying on Haruka with Gotou, but he'd been unable to stop himself from getting pulled out to the car, and pushed into the passenger seat.

Now he sat silently listening to the detective long and over used dating lecture, which he had mostly tuned out from the beginning.

"—you think I let my wife go out with other men?" sighing he looked over at the silent student. "How can you be so smart and so stupid at the same time?"

"What you perceive as stupidity, is simply indifference." Detective Gotou raised an eyebrow. "I do not have feelings for Haruka. She's just someone who I work with and who bothers me continuously."

For a long moment Gotou just watched him, any normal person would have become uncomfortable, but no one said _that_ Yakumo was normal.

"You have to realize your feelings soon, or you're going to lose her."

Yakumo glared at his older friend, pushing his door open and getting out, "I don't have feelings for her." he said annoyed at having to repeat himself. Slamming the door he headed over to the movie theater, Haruka and the rest of her date had gone in a few minutes before and he was determined not to lose her.

* * *

"Come on Naru-chan! You know you want to, it's just one movie and we can keep on eye on Mai." Hosho Takigawa reasoned trailing behind the annoyed younger man.

Ayako looked over tiredly from the couch, shaking her head at her companion's actions. "Give it a rest will you?" she said sitting up straight, flicking imagery flakes of dust from her shoulder. "He's never going to agree."

Hosho glared, growling at her. "We'll never know unless we ask." He stated as Lin came into the room, handed a file to Naru and left without a word.

Hosho whistled.

Ayako rolled her eyes calling after him. "You should as least say 'hi' Lin-san."

"..."

"Fine," Ayako said grumpily getting to her feet. "I'm going to the movies to watch over Mai. Anyone who wants to come, hurry up I'm leaving in five minutes."

Hosho smirked watching her storm out of the office. "Well that's my cue." He said saluting to Kazuya. "See ya Boss-chan!"

Kazuya sighed under his breath glad that they had finally left him in peace.

* * *

Once they made it to the theater, Mai was beginning to be overwhelmed with the three guys who had been lumped with her, due to not enough girls.

Two had been making rude jokes for the past half hour and Mai was almost at her limit, barely able to restrain herself from hitting the obnoxious collage students.

She sat down on the nearest bench, hoping that she could loss all three of them, but the tallest and the only one who hadn't said a word sat next to her watching as the other two walked away towards the arcade.

Mai sighed in relief, glancing over at her silent companion.

"So..." he said arms sliding along the back of the bench. "How about we ditch them and just go in with Ren and Haruka?"

"You know Haruka-san?" Mai asked turning to look at him.

"Yeah, we met last year, and Ren and I just kept in touch." He leaned closer to Mai and whispered. "Ren really likes Haruka."

Mai giggled, smiling at him. "I bet he dose." Extending a hand she offered. "I'm Mai Taniyama."

"Jori Kim." He said shaking it firmly.

"Kim? Are you Korean?" Mai asked excitedly.

"No, sorry, only half and I've only lived here my whole life." Mai nodded, she liked him, he was nice and he tired to keep her talking.

"Were you raised in Tokyo?"

"No, I lived in Shibuya. I work there too."

"Oh? Doing what?" He seemed generally interested. She smiled about to start explaining about her job when a familiar voice made her stop.

"Stupid Monk, why would I want to see that movie? I see enough ghost as it is!"

"What you scared Ayako?"

"Bou-san?" Jori followed Mai as she walked up to the two. "Ayako?" she wasn't sure if she should be happy or not, were they spying on her? No way, she was just being paranoid. "What are you doing here?"

"Mai? I didn't know you came to this theatre!" Bou-san looked pale, like he'd been caught doing something wrong, and his words sounded rehearsed, like he'd been practicing in front of a mirror.

Mai growled.

Jori covered his mouth, hiding a smile.

Mai was about ready to kill her older co-workers, they were spying on her! She was so angry that she didn't know what she wanted to say first.

"Mai! Jori! The movies going too started in five minutes, we have to get inside now if we want seats!" Haruka called, waving them over to where she and Ren where waiting by the entrance.

"I'll deal with you two later." Mai said grabbing Jori by the hand and dragging him (quite willingly) to their waiting friends.

Hosho was fuming as he watched his little Mai interlock her finger through the tall collage student's; who was smiling at the young girl as she pulled him away from them. Ayako had to hold him back from dragging Mai out of the theatre, telling him that she had go the tickets so they could watch her even in the movie.

It didn't calm him down but it was enough to get him to follow her into the theatre.

* * *

~In the Movie~

Yakumo watched Haruka and her date as they leaned closer to each other. Her date whispering in her ear, Haruka had to cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud.

Yakumo glared looking more closely at her date; he was tall, handsome and made her laugh even though they were watching a horror movie, a really good candidate for a boyfriend for a girl like Haruka.

So, Yakumo hated him.

He slumped down annoyed that he had come; it wasn't any of his business what she did in her free time, even if she was going out on dates. She had even told him that the reason she was going was because her date didn't want a girlfriend, he was going to support his friend.

He wasn't supposed to be looking for a girlfriend, but with the way he was looking at Haruka, there was no doubt that he like her, and that he wanted this to be the first of many dates.

He got even more annoyed when a man and a woman slipped into the seats on his right, they didn't pay any attention to him so he tried to ignore them for a while, until they started talking in hushed tones.

"He's still holding her hand!" the guy hissed to his companion.

"Relax, that's all they're doing, if he tries to kiss her..."

"I'll kill him!"

"Shut up! Your disturbing people." The woman said peaking over at Yakumo. Who ignored her completely, not interested.

He watched as Haruka stood, with another girl, and they both walked out leaving the dates to watch after them. Yakumo leaned forwards he was close enough that he could partly hear what they were saying, though not everything.

"Mai's awesome, thanks for asking me along." The other guy said. "She's so sweet and she's gorgeous."

"Yeah, I glad you came Jori, I really needed a wing man today." Haruka's date said rubbing at the back of his neck.

Jori laughed. "Are you finally going to ask her out?"

Haruka's date's head whipped around to look at his friend.

"Come on, everyone knows you've like her since last year." _This isn't good_. Yakumo thought growling. "Just ask her already; what's the worst she can say?"

"No."

"So?"

Haruka's date shrugged, glancing over at the door, smiling.

"There back." He sat sitting up straighter.

Yakumo's blood felt like it was on fire, as he watched Haruka and her friend walk back up the line of seats and slide in next to the guys.

Haruka and her date started talking again, their voices to low for Yakumo to hear.

A loud scream broke the silence of the theater as the first person died in the movie, blood spraying the screen, as the ghost murder disappeared just as the detective and his girlfriend-assistant showed up.

It was a horrible movie and totally not realistic.

Yakumo watched as Haruka jumped, startled by the sudden noise, her date caught her hand. And to Yakumo's further irritation she didn't let go.

He was about to get up and drag her out of there, when Gotou-san and his partner Ishii-san came in through the doors. They spotted him and quickly made there way up the stairs, sliding into the opened seats on his left.

"Yakumo, we have a new case." Gotou said taking the seat next to him; he held out a red folder, black letters cross the front read 'confidential'.

Yakumo sighed taking the file.

"It's right up your alley." Ishii-san said leaning forwards in his seat, waving stupidly at Yakumo, who raised an eyebrow in question. "It's a Haunted Mansion."

"Shut up Ishii."

"Yes sir."

"But he's right; you have to read through the file." Leaning back in his seat he started to watch the movie, until he spotted a familiar brown haired girl. (A.N. in the Manga she has brown hair, not pinkish-purple.) "Oh," Gotou said wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "So that's why you came in to watch this 'movie'."

Yakumo shifted in his seat but gave no other sign that he had even heard the Detective.

"So earlier in the club room—"

"What happened in the club room?"

"—with Haruka—"

"What did you do to Haruka-chan?" Ishii's voice had risen to a volume almost as high as the movie, which had gotten the attention of the whole theatre.

"Ishii." Gotou warned glaring at his young partner.

The man and woman on Yakumo's left looked at them a little worriedly. "Is everything okay?" the man asked eyeing the young Detective.

"Yes, sorry I'll keep him quite." Gotou apologized.

"It's not a problem." The woman replied, brushing it off.

Ishii blushed, sinking into his seat. "Sorry." He mumbled. Then in a stronger voice he demanded of Yakumo. "What did you do to Haruka earlier?"

* * *

Haruka looked back worried, scanning the back rows for the owner of the voice.

"Everything alright?" Ren asked squeezing her hand softly to get her attention.

"Yeah I just thought I heard someone I know."

"Hmm really?" they both turned looking up a few rows where Haruka spotted Detective Gotou and Ishii. She looked closely trying to find Yakumo, but she couldn't see him anywhere.

"Well, that's weird." Haruka said leaning back into her seat and trying to watch the movie. Really she was happy the Yakumo wasn't there with them, she was trying her best to forget him and seeing him would be the worst thing that could happen right now. plus there was no way that he would come to see this movie, it was the stupidest thing she had ever seen.

* * *

"Clear?"

"Clear." Gotou confirmed as Yakumo straightened. "Never do that again..."

Yakumo glared. "Like I would—"

"She looking again." Ishii warned Yakumo as he threw himself over Gotou's lap again, hiding just in time that the younger girl didn't see him.

"This is ridiculous."

"Tell me about it."

The rest of the night was quiet, Yakumo left spying on Haruka to Ishii, while he and Gotou went to look at police report and have the case filled in for Yakumo from the Coroner.

* * *

It wasn't long after they left the Haruka cornered Ishii and demanded to know what he was doing there.

"What? Haruka aren't you being a little paranoid?" he said feeling awkward about lying to her. "You know that the Detective and I have more important things to do than to follow you around all day."

Haruka didn't look convinced but she left it alone, apologized and went back to her date.

"Who was that?" he asked glaring over at the tall, older, glasses wearing guy, who was very good looking and on familiar terms with he would-be girlfriend.

"Ishii-san? Oh he's just someone I know from work."

"Work?"

"Yeah I sometimes work with the police on unusual cases." Haruka smiled, "My boss is a consultant with the police."

Ren was very impressed, but it seemed like Haruka was uncomfortable talking about work so he changed the subject.

Dinner and drinks lasted a few hours before people had to start heading home for the night, Haruka found Mai, asked her if she wanted to walk to the station together.

"Yeah, just let me grab my bag."

Haruka waited as Mai grabbed her bag from the table followed by Jori who insisted he and Ren walk them to the station as well.

"You don't have to; it's not far from here after all."

"Please?" Ren begged.

"We couldn't go on calling our selves men if you don't." Jori added flashing a winning smile that ended the argument.

* * *

(A/N: sorry was that crazy all over the place? i promise that as it goes along and all the characters met it will be less hectic! thanks to all thoes who reviewed, i love reading comments about my work! thank you! don't forget to press the button and send a review!

\(=3=)/


	3. Chapter three: The Case

Eye Sight...

Chapter three… the case.

* * *

Yakumo nodded his head, not listening to Haruka as she retold the events of her date. He didn't need a retelling because he'd been there for most of it, so he only caught a few words here and there until he heard Haruka's date's name. "I wasn't expecting Ren to ask me out again, I mean we have known each other for a while but, I didn't think he liked me." Haruka smiled over at Yakumo.

He raised an eyebrow, not willing to voice the question that he was burning to ask.

"So I said yes, I mean I'm not dating anyone and he's a lot of fun." It was a good thing that Haruka had turned before answering or she would have seen Yakumo's face contort with anger.

'She said 'yes'?' he fumed, but checked his face so that it wouldn't show.

"I want you to meet him, he said he'd like to meet you too, so be nice okay." Haruka said pulling out her cell phone.

Yakumo shot up from his seat, metal chair clattering to the floor. "NO."

Haruka stared at him, frozen at his strange behavior. "Why?"

Yakumo held up the case file, "We have a case; it's going to take a couple of days." He said praying she would leave it alone.

"Alright, when are we leaving?"

"As soon as—"

He was cut off by the door opening. Detective Gotou stood tall and menacing in the door way rain dripping off him.

"Ready to leave yet." he barked, shaking his head making water droplets splatter all around the room.

"No," Haruka said frowning at the older man. "I can't just pick up and leave! I need to pack, and tell my landlord and-and…"

"I'll buy you new clothes." Yakumo said grabbing his jacket and wallet.

Haruka sputtered. "No-no!"

Gotou sighed, grabbing a hold of Haruka's arm, pulling her out the door followed closely by Yakumo. They walked to Gotou's car and piled in, Ishii and Gotou in the front, Haruka and Yakumo in the back. Haruka yelled at them to let her out, slapped Ishii and Yakumo, but finally settled for not talking to any of them.

After a few hours of tense silence, Ishii asked about the case. Which Gotou was happy to tell him about, watching in the rear-view mirror to see if Haruka had calmed down enough to listen, it seemed like it, because she was watching him out of the corner of her eye.

"The case is in the Kyoto Prefecture, Soraku district in Wazuka. The Yoritomo family's mansion, been in the family over a hundred years. Till last year when their idiotic son sold it to an American. Mr. Gray is the one who called us. Seems he can't sale because there's a rumor that the house is haunted. He didn't believe the rumors at first of course believing it was just the locals way of saying they didn't want him there."

"And he'd be right." Ishii said glaring out the window like Mr. Gray could see him.

"Anyway," Gotou continued like he hadn't been interrupted. "He called in some paranormal researchers from the states at first and then more from Japan. The psychics all said that the house was haunted, but none were able to get proof until the first death. A male medium died, and not long after him three others, all male, but not all mediums. It was after the last death that Mr. Gray told the police what the teams had been saying about the house and asked for help."

"And you got the case, and dragged us into it." Yakumo said, flipping through the file with a bored expression.

"Of course the chief asked for me, because I have the most experience."

"So we're going into find out why the ghosts killed the mediums?" Haruka asked, talking to them again after four hours of silence.

"No, that Gotou's job, ours is to help the ghost move on." Yakumo looked over at Haruka, her eyes narrowed, as she turned not looking at him.

"Yes, well I think Haruka could help me with that actually."

"How?"

"You'll see." He replied smiling.

* * *

"Hello? Is anyone in?" a voice asked in very broken Japanese.

Mai looked up from her desk, pen posed to finish the last of her work for today. "Yes please come on." She called, getting up to greet them.

It was an older man, maybe thirty. He looked like an older John, with blonde hair and blue eyes; he was taller than John, around Lin height, with a strong build and a charming face.

"Can I help you?" Mai asked unfazed by his looks, but seeing as how she work with five very good looking guys that was only normal.

"I'm looking for Kazuya Shibuya? He came very highly recommended, and I need his help with a little problem I have with a property that I own." His Japanese sucked, but Mai understood enough that she knew he needed Naru.

"Can you wait over here for a bit? I'll just go check if he's in." she said smiling as she left him in the lounge/break room.

Kazuya was sitting at his desk, tea cup in hand and a book opened on his lap, he looked up as Mai came in. "What?"

"We have a client."

"Get Lin." He said closing his book, getting to his feet and walking over to where she was still standing. "Is something wrong Mai?"

She shook her head, taking his tea cup. "No, it's nothing."

He watched her for another moment, before passing her. "Get Lin please."

This time Mai was frozen from shock. Did Naru actually say please? She shook her head, a smile lighting her eyes. She bounced out of the office and over to Lin.

"Lin? Naru needs you in the break room."

"Hmm." Lin looked up at her, nodded getting up. "Thank you Mai."

She smiled brightly at him before bouncing over to the kitchenette.

* * *

"You want my team to excise the spirits?" Kazuya crossed his arms, glaring at the annoying American as he answered in perfect English. "**Why would I do that?**"

"**Because**," Mr. Gray said smirking. "**Professor Davis owes me a favor; he's the one who told me his son Oliver was here in Japan.**"

Kazuya glared, "**Blackmailing me will only lead to more trouble**." He said, the room seemed to lose its heat, until Mai walk through the door holding a tray of tea.

She set one in front of Naru before handing one to their guest, who smiled in thanks. She pushed one across the table to Lin, and sat next to Naru, earning a questioning glance from him.

She ignored him, not really sure why she felt she should sit here, but she knew that the tension in the room had eased when she walked in, so she stayed next to Naru, feeling strangely protective.

"We'll do it." Kazuya said motioning to Mai. "Leave your information with my assistant."

The team would meet the next day at seven, than make the long drive to Wazuka together.

* * *

Ishii looked up from his word puzzle book, glanced over at Gotou and then out his window, for the tenth time in the last half hour.

"What is it Ishii?"

"Nothing." He said casting a look at the back seat. His eyes lit up at the two forms snuggled close in the back. "Hmm, they are so cute when they're asleep."

"Yeah," Gotou sighed. "That boy should just step up and claim her already, before someone else does."

"I heard Ren called her back, and they had set up a date for this weekend." Ishii said looking at his puzzle book again.

"It won't be long before Yakumo snaps." Gotou smiled. "We can wait."

Yakumo frowned, normally he wouldn't have stayed silent, but the chance that Haruka would wake up if he did, and he would rather cut his toes off then wake her up. She shifted in her sleep and he held his breath, hoping the Gotou and Ishii wouldn't notice. She sighed wrapping her arms around his, resting her head on his shoulder. He breathed in smiling at the smell of pomegranate.

"How long you going to pretend to be asleep?" Ishii asked.

Yakumo jerked up looking at the two other men, both peeking back at him. "I wasn't." he glared.

"Hmm…"

"Right..."

"Shut up and watch the road." He growled.

The rest of the ride was silent with only a few random outbursts from Ishii when he got a word right. Gotou was about ready to strangle him and dump his body in a creek, when they saw the sign for 'Wazuka' Gotou sighed in relief.

"Thank you." He said to no one in particular.

The mansion came into view, a massive structure sitting atop a steep hilled landscape. A long drive twisted up to a stone wall the encircled the mansion and the surrounding properties. While the wall block most of the house, Gotou could tell from the style of the roof and the color that the house had been built in a Victorian style, not very common in this part of the country.

Ishii shifted his weight, his head slipping down the window. He'd finally fallen to sleep ten minutes ago, and Gotou wasn't in any hurry to wake the annoying younger man.

"Another ten minutes?" Yakumo mumbled in his sleep, finally lulled into real sleep when it became apparent that Haruka wasn't going to wake up anytime soon.

"Yeah, Okay kids," Gotou said smiling back at them, "Another ten minutes."

* * *

When the group finally arrived it was nearing dawn, while Haruka was wide awake and ready to begin, Gotou was dead tired, and suggested that they all get more sleep before starting the day. Yakumo and Ishii agreed.

The house keeper Gregory—a half-American half Japanese young man—showed them to there rooms, Haruka was right across from Yakumo while the Detectives where down the hall. Gregory also showed them the dinning room, the living room and a few lounges where they could relax.

"I'll be in the front room until later today, so please feel free to find me for anything that I can assist you with." He said looking pointedly at Haruka.

Gotou shooed him off before Yakumo murdered him, asking if he could bring him some hot tea to help him relax before turning in for the night. He left bowing deeply to his elders, but not before throwing a wink at Haruka.

"Well, time for bed you three go on, off you go." He said once Gregory had left.

"I don't really want to sleep in a haunted house." Haruka said casting a worried look around the room.

"We can't be sure it is haunted—"

"It is." Yakumo said cutting off Ishii who paled.

"You m-mean were in a _real_ haunted house?"

"Yes."

"darn moldy carp."

Everyone turned to stare at him.

* * *

"Um, Yakumo?"

"Yes?"

"Can I sleep in your room?" Haruka asked looking at the carpeted floor as they walked back towards their rooms. She was pulling at the end of her shirt nervously, not sure if she could look him in the eye and ask.

He was quiet for a long moment seeming to decide, when really he was just to stop himself from yelling in triumph. He sighed, glanced over and delivered his lines with out the slightest note of practice. "Fine, but don't tell Gotou he'll never stop teasing you if you do."

She squealed, smiling up at him. "Thank you."

* * *

Mai sat wedged in between large boxes of extra equipment. She stared grumpily out the front windshield, the only window that she could even see from her very uncomfortable spot. She'd managed to sleep for most of the trip, but now that she was awake she couldn't seem to fall asleep.

Mai let out a loud growl, earning a glance from Naru.

"Is something wrong Mai?" Lin asked the faintest hint of a laugh in his voice.

"No, nothing at all." Mai said folding her arms; she shifted in her seat trying uselessly to get more comfortable.

Naru glanced back again annoyed with all the noise she was making. "Stop moving Mai, where here, ten more minutes."

Mai glared at him felling her blood boil at his tone. "How about you try sitting back here and see if you can sit still?" she snapped kicking the back of his chair.

"Mai..."

"What?"

"Relax; we'll get you out in a minute." Mai had been so busy fidgeting the she hadn't noticed the van stopping or that Lin was no longer in the driver seat.

The door on her left opened and the box was moved out of the way, she fell onto her side looking up at Lin, who had an uncharacteristic smile on his face. Just a small one but Mai saw it.

"Let me give you a hand." He said helping her out of the van; she stumbled away from him trying to catch herself. She stood, smiling proudly until her legs cramped from the long drive began to give out under her.

"Wow now, take it easy Mai we don't want you getting hurt before we even start, now do we?" Hosho said catching her under the arms.

Ayako flipped her hair over her shoulder, sighing as she said. "She can't help it, she's accident prone. And ghosts just can't leave her alone."

"They can too." Mai said blushing bright red.

"No, they can't." Ayako and Hosho said together shaking their heads at her.

"Stop fooling around and get to work bringing in the equipment." Naru said arms filled with cables.

"Yes boss!"

* * *

Ishii ran towards Gotou, panting from his run up the stairs. "No one's seen her down stairs either!" he said hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

"No one?" he asked feeling a cold dread seep into his stomach. "Where could she have gone?"

Gotou had gone to find Haruka two hours ago, he went to her room to find it empty, and had been searching for her ever since. He and Ishii had covered all the floors of the house asked the staff, they'd been calling her cell but she wasn't picking up.

He rubbed roughly at his hair, sighing. They had to choice; it was time to tell Yakumo. He avoided waking the younger man because of his tendency to over react when it came to Haruka. It hadn't always been that way, but since his uncles death he had just been more cautious with people and if possible had closed himself off from others even more, but Haruka seemed to have been able to get him out of it over the last few weeks.

The only made it worse that she might have been kidnapped by the spirits in the mansion.

Sucking in a deep breath he moved to knock on the door, it opened under his hand. He pushed it opened worry clouding his mind.

The room was dimly lit, even in the earlier afternoon light coming in through the shades. He waked over to the lumpy bed dreading what he would find.

The lump rolled, hair poking out from under the blankets.

"Yakumo?" a groan from the other side of the room startled him; he spun to face the couch, hand going for his gun. "Yakumo?" another groan, louder now and very annoyed.

Yakumo sat up slowly, looking over through barely opened eyes. "What do you want old man?" he snapped.

Gotou pointed at the bed confused. "Who is that?"

Yakumo shrugged, still too tired to remember that Haruka was sleeping in the bed. He flopped back snuggling down under his blankets.

Gotou moved to stand next to the bed, reaching out a hand to shake the slumbering person.

Haruka woke to the sight off a hand coming down towards her chest. She didn't know what else to do so she screamed.

Her shriek made Gotou jerk back and Yakumo shot up on his couch, blankets falling to expose his bare chest. He looked over at the bed where Haruka was still screaming, sitting up in the bed eyes closed, hands clenching her blankets to her chest.

"Haruka!" Yakumo yelled getting her attention with a well aimed pillow to the side of her head. "Shut up! Its Gotou, stop screaming!"

She shut up in a second looking over to confirm that it was really Gotou and not some perverted ghost, or worse Yakumo. "Sorry." She mumbled glancing over at Yakumo who held her gaze.

"So, what are you doing in Yakumo's room Haruka?" he asked watching as the two paled.

"Oops."

(A/N. Yes... Thank you, Thank you. *bows repeatedly to the crowd of adoring readers.* I couldn't have done it without all the wonderful review that I got from all of you! So review more and more and the chapters will keep getting better! Thanks again hope you liked it! \(=3=)/ )


	4. Chapter Four: Happenings

Chapter Four...Happenings

* * *

(A/N. the **Bold is English **and the normal stuff is Japanese.)

* * *

"Just answer the question!" Gotou demanded staring the young woman down.

Haruka sighed, looking over to where Yakumo was walking, a good ten feet ahead of the rest of them. He hadn't said a word since they left the room, leaving Haruka to explain. But no one really believed anything she was saying.

"I have, I don't understand why you can't believe me," Haruka said turning on the two detectives. "I was scared to sleep by myself so I asked Yakumo if I could sleep in his room, he agreed. If some what reluctantly and that all, we went to sleep and nothing happened."

Before they could interrupt her she started again, waving her arms around her in emphasize. "But apparently that's not what you want to hear is it? Because you already have it set in your minds that we did something and—"

"Haruka..."

"What!" she snapped turning on Yakumo.

"You don't need to explain everything to them; they'll always think what they want. No matter how sound you reasoning is."

While under normal circumstances, she would have been flatter. But right now this just made her mad. How could he say nothing? When it was so obviously his fault that they were in this mess? If he had only woken up when Gotou came in...

"Haruka?" a voice asked from the bottom of the stairs. "Is that you?"

Haruka looked down at the girl and gasped, "Mai?"

"Yeah. I didn't know that you were going—"

"Mai! Get that camera in here, we need to set up!" A black haired man yelled, coming out of a side door. He was maybe Yakumo's age, with a stern face and dark unhappy eyes. Haruka wasn't sure of what to make of him, he was undoubtedly handsome, but he seemed mean.

Mai looked over at him plastering a smile across her lips. "Right away Naru."

Haruka jumped down the rest of the stair coming to stand in front of her new friend. Not noticing the questioning looks being shot at her from her three male companions.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm working."

"No you should be working," Naru said glaring at Haruka. "Talk on your free time Mai."

"Yes, yes." Mai said waving Naru off. "I'll find you later and explain, okay?"

"Yeah, me too." Haruka waved after her as she disappeared with the unpleasant man.

"Who was that?" Gotou asked startling her. He stood at her shoulder looking after the couple of strangers.

"Mai Taniyama. She's a new freeman at my school and a good friend." Haruka said.

Yakumo stood a few feet off, watching after them after the couple with mixed emotions.

"Hmm."

* * *

Mai was furious; she had so many questions she wanted to ask Haruka. Why was she there? Who where the three guys with her? Was she a Psychic researcher too? Mai sighed setting down the last of the cameras. 'Well there's nothing I can do about it now is there?' she thought slipping into her seat next to Lin.

The base was empty expect for Lin and Naru, so Mai was left with no one to talk to. She rolled her hands over and over in her lap bored.

"Mai?" Naru was staring at her.

"Yes?"

"Can you make us some tea?" Mai was caught off guard by the question. He posed it as a question? As if he didn't know she'd do anything he asked even if she grumbled.

She smiled. "Yeah," she said getting to her feet. "I'll go find the kitchen."

"I'll go with you." Naru said getting up as well file left forgotten on the table. "Lin watch your back." He whispered as he passed.

Lin nodded.

Naru took Mai's arm lightly, and lead her out of the room and down the hall towards the front entrance. Mai was blushing horribly, even though she could barely feel his fingers in her arm, she knew they were there and it sent tingles up and down her arm.

"I could have gone by myself Naru, you didn't hav—"

"Yes I did." Naru said his grip tightening on her arm. "Your not to go anywhere on your own Mai. No one is, people have already died here, and I won't have any of my team dying."

"I understand."

"Do you? We've never been on a case like this before."

"Um, yes we have. And last time Masako was kidnapped, remember?"

"That was dif—"

"No it wasn't." Mai said cutting him off. "It was the same people were going missing and then being killed by a spirit that didn't want to die. This might be the same thing."

"I hope not." Naru said under his breath, letting out a strangely tired sigh.

"Are you alright?" Mai asked pulling him to a stop. "Do you have a fever or something?" Mai slid her hand onto his forehead. "Hmm." Mai pulled Naru down to her, placing his forehead on hers. "I think your okay."

"Mai."

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?" Naru asked dark eyes swirling with a mix of annoyance and humor at the younger girl's actions.

Mai nearly fell over as she pushed her self away from Naru, stumbling over her apologizes as she went.

He chuckled, a deep sound that startled Mai almost as much as her overly familiar behavior. Mai had to think for a while before she released, she'd never heard him chuckle before, ever.

"I'm fine Mai." He said a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Mai could only nod, still too shocked to say anything.

* * *

The kitchen was huge, and Mai was very glad that Naru had come with her, because most of the staff member were American and try as they might they couldn't understand Mai's English and she couldn't understand their Japanese.

Mai smiled as Naru easily translated all of her instruction for the tea, the staff even supplied them with a portable kettle and tea set.

"**Thank you for all your help.**" Naru said bowing to the head chef, Jesse Carter an older man in his late forties. He seemed to have a soft spot for Mai, which became a parent as the girl struggled to speak English to him.

"**No problem, tell Mai she can come anytime, we have some Japanese staff that are starting work later today, so it shouldn't be a problem after that.**"

"**I will." **Naru told Mai, and she smiled nodding.

"**Thank you very much." **Mai's accent was thick, but Carter smiled, patting her shoulder softly.

"Your welcome." He answered.

"**Well, I'll have Mai come to visit again, but right now we have to get going." **Naru said in his usual cold tone, nodding his thanks to the chef.

Carter waved after them sadly, but he made no move to stop them from leaving. Mai was a little disappointed, she'd hoped that she could stay with older man a while longer, but Naru was right they had work that needed to be done.

When Naru and Mai got back to the base, they found that everyone else was back from there rounds, and it sounded like Ayako and Bou-san were at it again.

"I told you he's not a boyfriend!"

"Like I care if you have a boyfriend, don't you care about being a Miko at all?" Bou-san yelled dodging a well aimed book. It flew passed him and straight into Mai stomach.

Mai doubled over. Naru caught her arms stopping her from falling. "Miss Matsuzaki, will you please watch where you're throwing things." Naru said his voice taking on a murderous edge that shocked the whole room.

"I-I-I didn't mean to—"

"We all know where you meant for it to hit," Naru looked at Hosho with a pointed look that clearly said he blamed him as well for this. "The point is you shouldn't be throwing things in the base at all. You could have hit the equipment."

Mai's face heated. So that was it? He didn't care about her? It was the equipment? She pulled away from him and turned still winded to the door. She pushed it opened and stumbled into a tall man with light hair and glasses.

"Oh, be careful." He said catching her. "Are you alright Miss?"

Mai shook her head, still trying to catch her breath. Her eyes blurred and her legs gave out. The man caught her, pulling her into a standing position before wrapped an arm under her shoulders and knees, lifting her easily into a princess hold. "Sorry could you hold on to me for a minute?" he asked smiling down at her.

Mai nodded as he kicked the door opened and walked back into the base, followed closely by another man, older with darker hair and strangely familiar face.

"Be careful with her Ishii." The other man said as the door opened.

Naru still stood near the door staring at where Mai had been a few minutes before. John was sitting in the corner on the couch, while Lin typed on his laptop ignoring the others, Ayako and Hosho where standing face to face having yet another screaming match.

"Excuse me." the man—Ishii—said trying to get everyone's attention. It didn't work.

"Hey listen up people!" the gruff older man yelled making half the room jump. Mai included.

The SPR team looked at the new comers, not sure what to make of them. Bou-san was the first to noticed Mai, still in Ishii's arms.

"Hey! What are you doing with Mai?" he barked bearing down on them.

"Mai?" Ishii asked looking down at her. "Are you Mai?"

"Yes." She said smiling. "Thank you for your help, but I think I'm okay now."

"Of course." He said setting her down, he watched her as she stood fixing her shirt and jeans. "Are you alright? You nearly fainted, back there." he added pointing towards the door.

"I'm fine. Thank you Mr?"

"Ah, Detective Yataro Ishii." He said bowing. "And this is my Senior Partner Detective Kazutoshi Gotou." The older man nodded.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Mai Taniyama." Mai said bowing to the two men.

"Oh we've heard about you Taniyama-san." Gotou looked the members of SPR over, hands shoved in his pockets. "And you mush be Kazuya Shibuya," he stated looking at Naru. "I've heard a lot about you too."

"Really..." Naru said staring the Detective down. "I hope there won't be any problems then."

"No, I don't think there will be." A cold atmosphere settled over the room, Mai and Bou-san itched to ease it but they both stay silent, not wanting to get in more trouble with Naru.

Naru and Detective Gotou continued to glare, neither willing to look away first.

Ishii opened his mouth, about to say something when the door burst opened; Haruka pushed her way into the room, grabbing a hold of Detective Gotou, using him as a shield against the man that followed her into the room.

"Haruka! Stop it, you're being ridiculous!" he said trying to get passed Ishii.

The spell on the room seemed to break then.

"Who the heck are you people?" Bou-san started.

"I can't believe how rude—"Ayako glared at Ishii who raised his hands.

"What are they doing in here Naru?" Lin asked turning from the computer.

"Just stay over there Yakumo!" Haruka yelled, while he continued to protest, trying to get closer.

Mai could hardly hear anything; everyone was yelling trying to be heard over each other, until a voice shout from the back of the room.

"**Please everyone just calm down!" **everyone turned too looked at John. He stood red faced by the couch his fist clenched and eyes closed. He peeked, blushed when he saw them all staring and quickly he cleared his throat before saying again in Japanese. "Please everyone just calm down. Detective was there a reason you came to see us?"

Naru nodded his approval and everyone seemed to relax a little.

"Yes I apologize Father." He said giving John a slight bow. "It's just protocol to let you know who the leading officers are, incase of an emergency."

"And," Ishii said stepping forward. "We wanted to see the competition."

"Excuse me?" Ayako asked crossing her arms. "And how are a couple of cops competition for Psychic Researchers?"

Ishii smiled. "You'll see."

"Ishii." Yakumo and Gotou said glaring at the brown haired man.

"Okay, okay." he raised his hand in surrender.

"We'll leave you to it."

The three men left the room, closing the door behind them. Haruka smiled hand on the door knob, "I'll see you later Mai?"

"Yeah." Mai said watching after her as she left.

"Well that was odd." Bou-san said rubbing his head.

"So we weren't the only ones brought in for the case?" Ayako asked sitting on the couch with John. "Figures."

Naru ignored this and went to sit next Lin. They had a sort whispered conversation, before he turned to look at Mai. "Tea."

* * *

Haruka slipped out of the room, looking around the hall, sighing in relief when she saw that the guys had already left. She turned walking right into...Yakumo.

"What are you doing? I told you no ones aloud to be alone." He said taking her hand.

"Really...I don't remember that?" Haruka couldn't stop the blush from creeping into her face; she tried hard not to move her fingers hoping to hold his hand even for a little while.

"Haruka?"

"Ah yes!"

"..." Haruka stopped walking, fingers wrapping around Yakumo's hand. She yanked him pulling him back to face her. She stared at him expectantly. "I—"

"There you two are!" Ishii said turning around the corner. "Oh...sorry." it wasn't until he disappeared around the corner again that Haruka noticed how close Yakumo was standing.

"Oh no! Ishii-san it's not what it looks like!"

His head poked around the corner. "Really? Because your holding hands to." He pointed out eyebrow raised.

Haruka pushed him away letting go of his hand, laughing nervously. "No, no nothing like you thought." She said blushing.

"You're not helping yourself Haruka." Yakumo said poking her flaming cheek.

"Stop that!" Haruka said slapping at his hand. "Nothing weird happening here." The words were barely out of her mouth when a blood curling scream prince the quite hallways.

"I think you spoke to soon." Ishii said picking up his cell phone.

* * *

**(A/N... So this took way to long to write, sorry everyone! Please keep reading! I might be going over some of the chapters and fixing stuff to fit the fixed storyline. So please re-read if I post a note so that the whole thing doesn't get messed up! Thanks you! \(=3=)/**


	5. Chapter Five: Boyfriends?

Chapter Five: Boyfriends?

* * *

The SPR team slammed opened the doors to the largest of the dinning halls. In the center of the room lay a male body, blonde hair covered the white face, blood oozed from an opened wound in side of the victims head, arms and legs twisted the wrong way.

Kazuya stopped in the doorway pushing Mai back out if the room. "Stay behind me." he ordered looking around the room for the source of the screaming. Two young maids sat huddled together in the far corner, while the older Detective questioned them.

Kazuya looked back at Mai, who stood frozen behind him, staring at the body. Her face was pale and she was tilting to the side almost like she was going to faint again.

"Mai? Are you alright?"

Mai's breathing hitched as her vision blurred and her world slanted. It took a few moments for Mai to understand that she had fainted and even longer for her to realize that someone was holding her.

"Are you alright?" Yakumo asked looking down at the small girl in his arms. "Can you stand?" she nodded, but as he pulled her to her feet she stumbled forwards into Kazuya, who caught her in his arms and glared at Yakumo.

"Don't touch her." he whispered lowly, his arms tightening around her.

Normally Yakumo would ignore him, but this Kazuya person seemed like a lot of fun. Yakumo smirked feeling a renewed interest in this otherwise boring case. "I wouldn't dream of it."

The two continued like this until Haruka called Yakumo's name gaining his full attention, even if some what reluctantly. He turned looking over at where she was sitting with Gotou and the two maids who had found the body. "Yes?"

Haruka got to her feet walking over to where he and Kazuya were standing before she whispered. "Gotou-san wants you to check the room for spirits, again." She looked around the room, a strange look on her face. "Are there any?" she asked after a minute of tense silence.

"What do you think?" Yakumo said annoyed that he was being doubted, he had already been through the room and the ones around it looking for a spirit and he hadn't found even one small one, let alone one that could do this.

"I don't think there is a ghost here." Yakumo smiled, pleasantly shocked by her answer. "But that scares me more."

Yakumo nodded, it was more difficult if it was a live human.

"Did they find anything out about who that is?" Yakumo asked pointing at the body.

"No, they were hoping he was still around and you had seen him." Haruka inched closer to Yakumo as the side door opened and Mr. Grey walked in closely followed Gregory.

"What happened here?" Mr. Grey demanded. He stopped eyes widening when he caught sight of the body. "Steven?" he looked over at Detective Gotou eyes hardening. "Your supposed to stop things like this from happening!"

"It would be easier," Gotou said crossing his arms. "if your staff would cooperate with my team and I."

Mr. Grey's face heated with color. He opened his mouth but was cut off by Kazuya. **"Your that one that brought us in Grey, you might as well let us do our jobs." **the words were said to fast for most of the people present to understand, but the look on Mr. Grey face said that he didn't like it.

"**Watch what you say Kazuya." **Mr. Grey threatened glaring at the younger man. Who shrugged, uninterested in his threats.

"Detective Gotou-san have you found anything?" Kazuya asked shifting the way he was holding Mai so that they could walk closer to the body, which had been covered by a sheet.

"There not much I can tell until my Coroner gets here." Gotou said gruffly. "He's not to be moved, and I want this room sealed." he turned pointing a finger at the younger detective. "Ishii will be standing guard until the Coroner arrives."

"Alright." Mr. Grey said turning to leave. "I'll leave it to you then Detectives." Gregory bowed to the room moistening the rest of the staff out of the room.

Ishii turned to look at Gotou eyes wide. "I have to stand guard alone?"

"What's wrong?" Gotou said smiling. "You look a little pale."

"Nothing sir." Ishii squeaked.

"I can stand watch with you Ishii-san." Haruka offered, moving away from Yakumo. "No." he said grabbing at her hand. "I told you before your not allowed to be alone." he whispered pulling her closer.

"I won't be, I'll be with Ishii." she said trying to free her hand.

Yakumo sighed, feeling a headache coming on. "Your not allowed out of my sight." he said rubbing at his temples. "Understood?"

"I can stand watch with him detective-san." the tall brown haired SPR member offered stepping forward. "No one should be left alone for a while. I think it would be safer." Ishii nodded looking at Gotou.

"You are?"

"Hosho Takigawa, a Monk from mount Koya." Hosho said bowing in greeting.

"A Monk?" Gotou looked him over doubtfully.

"Why do you have hair, aren't Monks supposed to be bald?" Ishii questioned.

"It's a part time gig." Hosho replied smiling.

"Oh." Ishii and Gotou stared at him for a minute. But it didn't really matter if he was a monk or not, just that Ishii wouldn't be alone. "Alright, thank you Taikgawa-san. We gladly except your help."

* * *

Mr. Grey slammed his fist through the drywall, heart racing angrily. This wasn't how it was supposed to go! They weren't supposed to work together!

He glared over at Gregory. "Go and find out what their doing!"

"Yes sir." he bowed and left the room, a small smile creeping into his eyes as he thought of all the new ways he could irritate he boss.

* * *

Mai watched the monitors, eyes fixed on the hall where Bou-san and Detective Ishii were standing, leaning back against the door frames. The hall had been empty since everyone had cleared out, with only Ayako going to give the two men drinks about a half hour ago.

Mai was worried about this whole thing, it didn't seem right, nothing fit the normal haunting criteria. And she could see it was bothering the whole team.

"Mai?"

"Yes Naru?" she asked not looking away from the screen.

"I want you to go and talk to your friend Ozawa now."

Mai looked up surprised. "Really why?" Naru wasn't looking at her, he was watching the camera for the entrance, where Haruka and the Detective were meeting an older man with a jacket the read Coroner. "Oh. Alright, I'll be your spy this once."' Mai said getting up. "But you owe me."

"Yeah all right." Mai smiled bouncing out of the room.

Lin glanced over at Naru eyes questioning. "What?" Naru asked coolly.

"Oh nothing,"

"What is it Lin?" Naru asked turning to face the Chinese man.

"I just hope you know what your getting into."

"How so?"

"You owe Mai, she can ask anything she wants and you'll have to keep your word and let her be. Are you really ready for something like that? She could ask anything."

"I know what I'm doing." Naru said huffing.

"I hope so." Lin said going back to his typing.

Naru glared at Lin, his mood darkening with every passing minute. How bad could it be? It was only Mai... Naru groaned. Lin was right it could be very bad.

* * *

Haruka groaned trying to ignore Hata-san's horrible dead jokes. She walked closer to Yakumo, avoiding the older man as much as she could without being openly impolite.

"I was called 'crudely disgusting' yesterday by a lady who came in to claim her husband's body." Hata was said to Gotou who groaned. "Well she has it right doesn't she. You are disgusting." Hata laughed giddily rubbing his hands together. "Yes I do think so."

Yakumo's face a frozen in place completely devoid, Haruka sighed, slipping her arms around his left arm and hugging it tight. "Yakumo, can I go see Mai now?"

He glanced down at her, looked at his arm and then back at her face. "No, I'll take you after Hata sees the body." he shifted uncomfortably.

"But-"

"Haruka!" a female voice called from the hall in front of them, Mai jogged over to meet them, smiling to the three men before moving to Haruka's side. "I was hoping to run into you."

"Really? I was hoping to avoid seeing the body again, actually. I wanted to come see you, but Yakumo wouldn't let me."

"That's okay, I really wanted to get away from Naru." Mai said a little louder then she needed, making sure that Naru would hear it on the speakers. "Where are you headed to right now?"

"The dinning hall. Coroner Hata is here to examine the body, so after that I'll be free." Haruka said noticing that Mai was looking pale again. Haruka pulled away from Yakumo and wrapped an arm around her. "We can stay outside if you want."

Mai shook her head, "We need to know about what happened as well for our investigation," she smiled tightly. "It'll be fine, I'll just stay at the back."

"Okay, I'll stay with you." Haruka said smiling.

"Thanks."

* * *

"What's that matter with you?" Yakumo shot a sharp look at Gotou, warning him not to ask. Gotou shrugged. "I'll just ask Haruka then."

"NO!" Yakumo shouted grabbing at the back of his suite jacket. "Don't."

Gotou stopped smiling, as he took in the rare sight. Yakumo had been rubbing at his hair in a irritated fit for the pass fifteen minutes while Hata checked over the body. Yakumo's hair was now standing up on one side and flat as a sheet on the other. Ishii and Hosho had been watching him as well and had been placing bets on how long it would take for him to notice, he still hadn't.

"Is everything alright?" he asked smirking.

"Yes, everything is fine." it was interesting that Yakumo only got this way when Haruka wasn't around—she and Mai had left the room after Hata had accidentally poked out one of the victim's eyes—he had been one step away from pulling out his hair ever since.

"Good, I would hate to think that you were worried about Haruka being alone in the hall way, with no protection against ghosts...or anything really."

Yakumo frozen, then turned to glare at his older friend. "Stop that."

"Stop what?" he asked innocently.

"Stop trying to freak me out, it's not working Gotou."

"It looks like it is." he pointed out nodding at Yakumo's wrinkled appearance. "Just go check on her, you're not missing anything."

A second later the door was closing behind him.

Gotou shook his head. It wasn't good to have Yakumo so worried, it meant that this was going to be a very hard job.

"You should call your wife."

Gotou looked down at Hata, confused by the sudden change in topic. "Why?"

"Because this guy was killed by a human." he replied holding up a perfect bloody finger print.

* * *

Haruka was just setting down tea pot when Yakumo burst through the door to the SPR's base. He looked half crazed with his hair standing on end, his eyes flew across the room searching wildly until he found her sitting at the table next to Lin.

"Haruka!" he angrily pushed past Ayako and John. Fuming he yanked her chair away from the table and leaned down towards her. "What were you thinking leaving without telling me like that!"

Haruka opened her mouth to explain but he just kept going. "Do you now how long I've been looking for you!"

"Yak—"

"What would you have done if you were attacked and no one knew where you were!"

Haruka sighed, which seemed to set him off even more. The SPR team stared on in confusion not sure if they should help or stand back and laugh. "What would I have done if—" Haurka's hands slapping to the sides of Yakumo's face stopping him.

"Stop it." she said angrily. "I wasn't alone I was with Mai, and you knew I wanted to come here so it should have been the first place you looked!" Yakumo stared still shocked that she had hit him. Haruka softened, a small smile on her lips. "What did you do to your hair?" she asked running her fingers gently through it until it was back to it's normal bed head look.

"Are you alright?" Mai asked, reaching a hand out towards them. Yakumo straightened, face unreadable. Haruka blushed bright red, realizing what she had been doing.

"Y-yeah everything's fine now. Right?"

Yakumo humph-ed, he made it to the door before he turned to Haruka. "Next time tell someone before you run off."

"I will." the door closed as an awkward silence followed that was finally broken by John saying, "So how long have you been dating?"

Haruka turned so fast she nearly fell out of her seat. "Dating!" she sputtered a fresh blush burning it's way to the surface. "We are not DATING John-san!"

"It looked like it." Ayako added before John could apologize. "You make a really cute couple too."

"I-i...we." Mai clapped a hand on Haruka's shoulder, smiling sadly. "It doesn't matter what you say, they just want to have they're fun. Just ignore them."

* * *

Hata sipped at his tea watching Gotou as he paced the across the dinning room. The verdict was out, and it wasn't good. The murderer was human, and most likely still inside the house, since it had been on lock down from the very minute the body was found.

"You said the body was still warm when it was found, correct?"

"Yes." Gotou said stopping for a moment. "That's why I had Yakumo search for any spirits I thought it must still be nearby if the corpse was still warm."

"Yes, it would seem like that..." Hata smiled.

"The culprit might have even been in the room when we first found him." Gotou mused a feeling of deep depression settling over him. "He might have been in the room with us." he whispered to himself disturbed.

Hata drank the last of his tea and reached down for his note pad. "The victim received a nasty blow to his skull, dead from loss of blood, and blunt force trauma to the head." Hata flipped to the next page looking puzzled. "The funny part is that I can't find where skull was first fractured, the way it looks is as if the attacker wrapped his hands around the victims head and squeezed...oh." Hata looked down at his crumpled note pad frowning.

Gotou growled, and started to pace again. "What am I supposed to do!" he said angrily.

"Your job." Yakumo said pushing off the door frame. "I don't see what the problem is. You've been a police for how many years?"

"Twenty." Gotou answered looking him over. "What are you doing back? Did you find her?"

"I did."

"Good for you." that explains why his hair is fixed then. Gotou thought smiling.

* * *

Mai smiled. "Where have you been sleeping?" she asked Haruka as they walked down the upper halls, checking cameras and mics.

Ayako was checking one room to the left while they waited outside. Haruka blushed, but only enough for Mai to see before it disappeared. "I have a room down one floor."

"Really? Which one?"

"I—I'm not sure I haven't slept in it yet." Mai looked confused. "I mean I have slept, I just didn't sleep in my room yet."

"Then where did you sleep?" Ayako asked handing a tape to Mai. "Was it with the black haired guy from before?" Ayako asked jokingly smirking.

Haruka paled. "How did—" she slapped a hand over her mouth staring wide eyed at the other two women. "I mean—"

"Ohh! How exciting!" Ayako squealed. "So you are together I thought so!"

Mai blushed. "I didn't know you where dating Yakumo-san."

"I'm not!" Haruka yelped. "Don't miss understand Ayako-san, I'm not dating him! Were not together I just—i couldn't sleep by myself so I slept in his room. He slept on the couch!"

Ayako and Mai smiled laughing. "You don't have to explain we figured as much, he seems like a reasonable person." Ayako said patting her shoulder. "We won't assume anything. We'll believe whatever you say Haruka-san."

"Thanks Mai-chan."

* * *

"This is the place right?" Jori asked looking over at Ren, who was staring at a poorly drawn map that an elderly man had made for them at the gas station.

He nodded. "I think so, lets ask." he got out of the car and walked over to the gates looking for a intercom box. After a minute he found the black box, half covered by a ivy vine. **"Hello."** a male voice spoke from the box.

"**Hi, Is this Mr. Grey's mansion? Me and my friend are here to work as replacements."** Ren said in his clear accent free English, motioning Jori over.

"**Yes it is. Your names sir please?"** the voice asked. Jori glared at the box, couldn't they at least try and speak Japanese?

"**Ren Fujioka and Jori Lee Kim. Were here to replace my brothers Haru and Natsu Fujioka. Mr. Grey has already been notified." **

"**Yes, one moment someone will be there momentarily to show you in."** the voice said as the gates started to open.

"**Thank you!"** Ren said smiling.

"You're too nice Ren." Jori scolded, as they got back into his green charger. Ren looked over and shook his head. "It not our job to make them do anything, so just leave it alone."

"I'll try." Jori grumbled pulling the car in through the gates. They parked on a side path.

Ren jumped out of the car and started walking towards the back doors. When a voice called out to them from the front steps. "This way please gentlemen."

Jori grimaced. "That doesn't sound weird at all."

"At least he's speaking Japanese." Ren added slapping his friend on the back.

"This way please. My name is Gregory, and I am in charge of all staff members, so if you have any problems bring them to me or the head chief." Gregory said leading them in through the front hall. "We have guests at the moment. Some are even from the police department so please try not bother them while you are working. The Head chief will be able to answer all your questions about work. And I will find you tonight to show you two to your rooms."

"Thank you." Ren said nodding his thanks.

"Were did you learn Japanese?" Jori asked looking him over.

"In Tokyo, where I went to school and lived for many years as a child." he said without so much as a pause. "Will that be all? I'll have Kris here show you to the kitchens." Gregory said pointing to a young man around their age, with light blonde hair and blue eyes.

Kris smiled, waving a hand towards the left.

"**Do you speak Japanese?" **Ren asked feeling bad for how awkward the atmosphere had gotten since Gregory left .

Kris brightened. **"Do you both speak English?" **

Jori nodded. **"Yeah, Ren and I studied in Canada for two years after high school." **

"Jori?" a voice asked from behind them.

Jori turned surprised at the familiar voice. "Mai?" he could barely believe it when she ran forward smiling.

"Hey I wanted to call you but your phone was off." she said stopping in front of him. "I was going to tell you I couldn't make it this weekend because of work. But your here!"

Jori smiled stupidly. "Yeah." Mai's smile brightened.

"We're here for work actually." Ren said breaking into strange atmosphere that had come over his friends. "We're helping out in the kitchen."

"Really? I didn't know you could cook. That's amazing." Mai said making Jori blush.

"Ren!" Haruka squealed running forward, "I didn't see you! What are you doing here?" Ren forgot all about Jori then and turned to smile at his brown haired angel.

"Haruka, you're here too? This is just weird. Fate maybe?" he asked taking her hand in his, kissing it softly. She blushed bright red smiling. "Maybe." she mumbled.

"Hey what gives, who are these guys?" Ayako asked striding over to glare up at the two young man, who had captured her friends attention. Recognition hit her like a ton of bricks. "Y-y-your the guys from the movies!" she gasped slapping a hand over her mouth.

Jori looked over at her, frowning. "How would you know when we met them?" Ren raised an eyebrow waiting for the answer as well.

"Oh, I...um I mean."

"Yes, why would you know Ayako?" Mai asked an icy smile on her lips.

"I-i-i...um...no really I didn't have a real reason I was just...um...on a date with..."Ayako stammered looking around her for anyone who might help. "Hosho!" she said without thinking when she spotted him coming around the corner with Ishii closely followed by Yakumo and Detective Gotou.

"What? Did I do something?" Hosho asked walking over to the crowd with a smile. Until he spotted the young man standing way to close to Mai. "Who the heck are you!" he growled pulling Mai away.

Jori glared, "I'm her boyfriend."

* * *

(A/N. Thanks bbhelen3162! I'm really glad that you reminded me of the guys ;), I hope everyone loved this confusing and overdue chapter! Keep reading because I'll be bringing in the ghosts in the next chapter! R&R \(=3=)/ haha!

(A/N. ahhh i mixed the guys up! it's fixed now. sorry.


	6. Chapter Six: Strange intentions

Chapter Six: Strange Intentions...

Yakumo stared, eyes narrowing on Haruka and the tall, dark haired man standing in front of her, holding her hand. He stared back, sizing Yakumo up just waiting for an opportunity to stake his claim.

"Ren, this is Yakumo Saito. Yakumo this is Ren Fujioka." Haruka said ignoring the threatening atmosphere coming off both men.

"Nice to meet you, Saito." Ren said extending a hand.

Yakumo ignored him, turning on Haruka.

"What is he doing here?" He asked pulling her further away from him.

Ren took her arm softly and pulled her back to his side, placing a protective arm around her shoulders. "You remember I told you that I went on a group date? Well, Ren and I started dating after that." She explained smiling.

"Wasn't that yesterday?" Yakumo asked eyeing the two. "How could you start dating over just two days?" Yakumo asked folding his arms across his chest. His jaw tightening, teeth grinding as he watched Haruka just stand there too close to this random stranger.

"I told you before that I've known Ren for almost four years, it's not that shocking that we would at least try dating at some point." Haruka said not noticing how Ren flinched at her blunt words.

Yakumo smirked, "So it's only for a little while?"

Haruka glared. "No! Don't be so rude Yakumo! I already told you all of this before."

"I don't remember you saying anything about him before." he snapped back glaring at Ren who wasn't sure what to do, it didn't help that he was getting more confused by the minute.

"Ren." Jori said sighing tiredly.

"I know." Ren answered already knowing what he was going to say. Ren smiled, leaning down to kiss Haruka's forehead. "I'll see you later, we have to get to work." he explained releasing her from his protective arms.

Haruka smiled sadly, blushing at the sudden show of affection. "Yeah, we'll meet up later all right?"

"For sure."

Yakumo bristled; fist clenching taking a step forward unconsciously, an overwhelming need to remove this person from Haruka's side was turning his stomach into a knotted mess. Gotou placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head. "No." he mouthed watching Yakumo closely. Even if they were friends and co-workers Gotou couldn't just stand there while he tried to murder someone.

Haruka smiled after him as he and Jori headed off to the kitchens on the first floor, completely oblivious to the effort Yakumo was putting in just to keep from following the pair and 'helping' them along to the afterlife.

"Well that was different." Ishii said rubbing the back of his head awkwardly as everyone turned to stare at him.

The hall erupted in questions as the two girls where grilled on just who Jori and Ren were to them. Haruka let out a scream stumping her foot down on Ishii foot to stop his questions.

"That's enough! You don't even need to know who they are!"

"Haruka's right! I don't need to tell you anything! So Stop bothering us!" Mai added linking arms with Haruka, pulling her along as she made a break for the nearest staircase.

"Wait!" Ayako yelled running after the two closely followed by Hosho.

Yakumo was still shocked that Haruka hadn't told him how long she had known Ren before this; he'd heard her talking about him before but not like this. This was driving him insane!

* * *

Yakumo slammed his bedroom door, shoving his hands into his pockets as he made his way down the empty hallways. He weaved around hallways and through doors until he was completely lost. His mind preoccupied with thoughts of what had happened earlier that evening. He wasn't sure what had upset him more; that fact that Haruka had a boyfriend or that he was here, working just down stairs and bound to run into Haruka while they were there.

"What is she thinking anyway?" he asked kicking the (poor unsuspecting) wall. "I thought she didn't want a boyfriend? What is she doing-" Yakumo trailed off trying to deny the reason way he cared so much about what she did, it wasn't as if she was his girlfriend and she was cheating, she was simply tired of him and moving on, and it wasn't like he had any feelings for her...

Sighing loudly at his own stupidity he lent back against the wall, kicking it softly with his heel.

"Would you stop that!" a voice yelled, muffled by the wall.

"Stop what?" he called back annoyed.

The door next to him was ripped opened to reveal a very annoyed looking young man, black hair falling into his eyes as he searched the hall for the culprit. Yakumo muffled a laugh when he spotted his black silk pyjamas and matching slippers. "Nice Pj's." he said a smirked forming on his lips.

Kazuya glared, folding his arms across his chest while leaning back against his door frame. "Do you even know what time it is?"

Yakumo glanced down at his bare wrist faking surprise. "Oh, look at that, no watch." he glanced up at Kazuya. "Silly me, i forgot to put it on before going to bed."

Kazuya's eye narrowed. "Who are you anyway? I don't remember you from this afternoon?" truth was even if Kazuya had seen him, he wouldn't remember, that stress of that afternoon had started to get to him about two hours ago and he had been unable to work, leaving Lin no choice but to send him off to his room, where he had then been disturbed by this person.

"I remember you, Kazuya Shibuya." Yakumo said matching his pose. "You seem familiar to me somehow, like I've seen you before." He hummed placing a finger to his temple. "I see a spirit following you, a young man with dark eyes." He glanced up watching the spirit, no doubt Kazuya's twin smile at his brother's discomfort.

"It's been a while since someone could see me," He said nodding his head to Yakumo. "The name's Eugene, nice to meet you."

Yakumo nodded smiling a greeting to him, "Nice to meet you Eugene." Kauzya stood froze as the two exchanged pleasantries over his head.

"You're a physic, I see." Kazuya said unfazed. "You're not that first one I've met."

"No, you're about the fiftieth or something like that." Eugene said leaning on his brother's shoulder.

"Oh I know, you work with Miss Hara don't you?" Yakumo asked not really sure who he was asking.

"What your point?" Kazuya asked glaring at him.

Yakumo sneered slightly, watching Kazuya's eyebrow twitch in annoyance. "I don't really have one…" He stated honestly shrugging his shoulders.

Eugene smirked. "Hara-san has dirt on my brother that keeps him working with her."

"Oh?"

"Stop talking to Gene." Kazuya growled, glaring coldly at him. Yakumo waited a few minutes watching him expectantly, while Eugene stood watching him from behind. "What nothing?" they said together. Yakumo sighed bored with him. He was about to turn back to his room when Eugene shouted at him to wait.

A shiver ran down his spine as the temperature began to down around them. He turned just in time to see Gene trying to stop a spirit as it moved through the wall into Kazuya's room.

"Wait!" Yakumo said rushing after him, he yanked Kazuya's door opened, Ignoring his protests as he entered the spotless room. "What do you think you're doing? You can't just force your way into other people room!" He hissed following Yakumo into the room.

"Quite. I'm trying to listen." Yakumo said scanning the room, watching for any sign of the young man. He spotted a glimmer in the corner next to Kazuya's bed. "Could you talk to me for a bit?" Yakumo asked waiting as the spirit turned to look at them. Gene stood to his left smiling at the young foreigner.

"How are you seeing me?" He asked, his broken Japanese barely understandable.

"**I speak English.**" Gene said stepping closer, "I can translate." He said to Yakumo, who nodded liking this guy more by the minute.

"Thanks that would be a big help." Yakumo said gratefully accepting his help. "Tell him—"

"**He can see most spirits.**" Gene said, copying his words exactly.

It was true Yakumo was just leaving out some important facts so that the only other living person in the room wouldn't know everything about him. "Can you tell me—"

"—**who killed you? Do you remember anything?**" Gene asked softly trying not to upset him, while he was still so confused and new to the whole 'being dead' thing.

"**No." **he shook his head, eyes clouding over. His face started to change growing pale, his form fading slightly as he began to lose control, his wounds opened, fresh blood leaking from the gaping hole in the side of his temple.

He stopped looking out the window, as a strange calm came over him. Gene smiled, "**That feel better?**" he asked as the spirit nodded.

"**I didn't see his face—"**

"He came at me from behind, he hit me in the back of the head, and I blacked out. And then I woke up in the hallway." Gene translated frowning. "He can't remember anything, but that could be because he was hit in the head, it damaged his memory."

"Would that really affect the spirit?"

"Yes, in some cases it can, I've seen it before." When Yakumo thought about it, he had to; there had been a few spirits who had had fragmented memories because of much the same thing.

"He wants to know why he was killed." Gene stated bring Yakumo back to the present. "We'll just have to find out for him, won't we?"

Gene smiled, "So you'll let me help with your investigation?" he asked.

"Of course if you want to." Yakumo noticed the spirit trying to leave, "Wait ask him if he can remember anything about him, how tall he was or a smell that might give him away, anything."

"**Yes thank you that will help a lot." **Gene said after translated his answer to Yakumo, who was smiling broadly. "Thank you." Yakumo said bowing to him before he faded through the wall.

Kazuya stood dumb founded, not sure if he should be impressed, jealous or angry, so he settle for annoyed. "You done yet?" he snapped tapping his foot impatiently. "I would like to sleep at some point this evening." He added rubbing his eyes tiredly.

Yakumo looked over glaring. "You scared him off." He barked, heading towards the room he winked slightly at Gene. "Nice talking to you."

"You too, Yakumo." Gene said back waving from his spot leaning on Kazuya's shoulder.

Kazuya bristled. "Talking to who?" he asked grinding his teeth together.

"The guy who was killed tonight." He stated roughly trying to push passed him. Kazuya blocked him, "Care to explain?" he asked tapping a single finger against his arm, trying to stay calm. It wasn't normal how this person could so easily get under Kazuya's skin; he said all the right things to set him off.

Irritated Yakumo shoved him out of the way and walk into the hall, heading for his own room. "Hey wait you—"

"Sorry." Yakumo yelled cutting him off. "I don't have time to play tonight."

* * *

Haruka poked her head out of her bedroom door checking the hall for anyone who might see her. She ducked down as a maid passed pushing a tray covered in clean sheets past her door. After making sure the hall was completely empty, she slipped out of her room and headed down, towards the stairs.

She wasn't sure why she felt the need to hide where she was going, it not like anyone would really care. But when she thought of Yakumo finding out…she shivered, rubbing her arms as she imagined his face, he'd be more than just mad he'd be hurt to.

That's why she couldn't let Yakumo know.

"I have time right?" she asked herself looking down at her cell phone. It was also because of her cell phone that she was out here, making her way to the back gardens where Ren was waiting for her on his half hour break. He'd texted her five minutes ago, and she had left almost as soon as she'd read it, but it was taking too long to get there. 'If I don't get there in the next fifteen minutes I won't get to see him.' She thought turning the corner and smacking right into…

"Yakumo!" Haruka yelped landing hard on her back Yakumo lost balance and fell on top of her slamming her into the ground. They lay unmoving for a minute both stunned. "Get off." Haruka said pushing him over, he rolled and watched as she got to her feet, read as a beat and stammering as she asked. "W-w-what are you even doing h-here?"

Yakumo smirked. "I guess you forgot." He said getting to his feet to stand in front of her blocking her exit.

"W-w-what?" she stuttered noticing his movement. 'He's blocking me in.' she thought franticly trying to think of an excuse that would let her escape and get to Ren.

"I sleep on this floor Haruka." He said rolling his eyes at her.

"Oh yeah, I know that…I was just—"

"Not thinking straight?" he laughed, twisting a strand of her hair around his finger. "Where are you sleeping tonight?" he asked ignoring her shocked expression.

Truth was she wasn't shocked, she was dying. Why was he being all sexy when she already had a boyfriend? And why was he still touching her hair! Haruka was about ready to faint when she answered him. "I-i-I'm sleeping in my own room." She said shakily trying to move back, out of his grasp, she needed to get away from him he really wasn't good for her heart. It was squeezing and twisting, bounding like a jack hammer and humming all at once making her feel even more lightheaded.

"Hmmm." He smiled softly advancing on her slowly, pushing her back towards his room.

"Yakumo, wha—"

He shushed her, placing two fingers on her lips. "Don't say anything, just come." He said laughing on the inside at how fun this was, he'd seen Haruka blush but never like this she truly could put the tomatoes to shame.

"Yakumo!" Haruka gasped ripping his hand away from her innocent lips. "I'm going to the gardens!"

He paused, leaning over her. "Why?" he asked his hand twisting into her hair, as he calmly waited for her answer, at least he seemed calm when really his insides where in turmoil, she was going to see him wasn't she, she'd been sneaking around so that he wouldn't know.

"Why?" she squeaked her face burning at the unexpected contact, it was definitely not normal Yakumo behavior.

"Why do you need to go to the gardens?" he asked his face only an inch away from hers. "You meeting someone?" she stuttered trying to deny what she had already confirmed by trying to hide it from him.

He grabbed a hold of her face as she tried to turn away from him, keeping her there as he waited…he wasn't sure what he was waiting for, but he knew he had to.

Haruka froze her mind racing to find a reasonable explanation for all of this…it couldn't be that Yakumo was j-jealous? Could it? That didn't make any sense he didn't care when she went out on dates, but now that she had a boyfriend he cared? "Make up your mind!" she shouted, gasping as she realized she'd just spoken out loud.

Yakumo stared at her confused. "What?"

Haruka stood ramrod straight, her eyes widening as her thoughts stop spinning. She had a Boyfriend now, a good, nice, sweet guy who had liked her for a really long time! And she was hoping that Yakumo like her? That he might kiss her? She had only been dating Ren a few days and she was already unfaithful.

"Yakumo get off me!" She gasped shoving him back as hard as she could, he stumbled, steading himself before she could even recover from what she had almost let happen. How could she be thinking of kissing Yakumo when Ren was just outside waiting for her right now?

"Haruka." Yakumo said darkly glaring at her from his position against the wall; she'd conveniently knocked him into corner. "You didn't answer my question."

"You expect me to be able to answer you? When you're pressed up against me like that!" she hissed trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Hmm." He said looking her over. "So you are meeting someone?" her expression changed to one of extreme guilt at his question. His stomach turned, as he asked. "You were sneaking out to meet him? Weren't you?" he didn't even want to hear her say it, why had he asked? Now she would answer and it would hurt him even more. A sour taste filled his mouth as he waited, pain ripping through his chest as she nodded.

"I have to go." She whispered trying to slip passed him again.

Yakumo stood rooted to the floor as she walked passed him, his heart squeezing inside it his chest, pain shot through him burning the air from his lungs making him sway on his feet. "Haruka…" he mumbled as he swayed and fell to the hard wood floor, cracking his head against the corner of the wall.

Haruka stopped, hearing the loud wet thud as his head hit the wall. "Yakumo, did you hear that?" she asked hugging her arms around herself; this place was really starting to creep her out with all its unexplained noise. "Yakumo?" she asked looking over her shoulder, spinning on her heel when she didn't see him right away. "Yakumo?" she asked walking around the corner. "Where'd…Yakumo!"

She found him sprawled out on the cold floor, his eyes blurred over as he tried to pull himself into a sitting position. "Yakumo are you alright? What happened?" Haruka asked helping to pull him up.

"I think." He said groggily, putting a hand to his forehead. "I hit my head."

Haruka sighed, pushing back his hair to look at the small cut that had opened up on the side of his head, just about his left ear, it wasn't big, but it would need to be clean and bandaged soon. "Can you stand?" she asked softly.

Any thoughts she might have had about leaving him there vanished as he stumbled to his feet grabbing her shoulders for support. "Sorry." He grunted pushing away from her.

"Stop that." she snapped grabbing at his hands, "Let me help you to your room." She insisted draping his arm across her shoulders.

"Don't you have somewhere else to go?" he'd meant it to be angry, but his voice only came out sounding hurt and pathetic. He didn't like being pitied and now Haruka would blame him for not being able to see her kitchen boy.

"Do you want me to go?" Haruka asked glancing over at him.

Yakumo shut him mouth not willing to answer her. She stopped at the door and waited as he tried to open the door, he stuck the key in the lock but it wouldn't budge. "I can't open it." He mumbled softly.

"What?"

"I c-can't open i-i-it." He said louder, his voice shaking as black spots clouded his vision; he grabbed his forehead as he began to lose his balance. Haruka grabbed his shoulders, steadying him, as she opened the door and helped him inside.

* * *

Mai sighed leaning back against her chair while she stared at the camera screens. She was watching Jori run around the kitchens helping to fix food for tomorrow, a smile always on his face as he dealt with each request. She sighed again wishing that she could talk with him, or at least see him in person and not on a video camera like some stalker person.

Mai was about to sigh again when Lin leaned in front of her cutting off her view of the screens as he placed a hand over her mouth, rubbing his forehead with the other. "Mai would you please stop sighing," he growled annoyed. "I'm almost done and then I'll take you to your room, alright?"

Mai was so shocked that he would cover her mouth that she fell out of her chair and landing hard on her backside.

Lin stood and helping her to her feet as he asked. "Are you alright Mai?" as unconcerned by her reaction as ever.

Mai's eyes narrowed. "Yeah sorry." She said sitting back down a scooting her chair a little further away from his.

Lin sighed when he saw what she was doing making her stop. "How come you're allowed to sigh?" he asked pointing a finger in his face.

"Because I only did it once, whereas you did it ten times in the last five minutes. It's distracting. " Lin explained smiling weakly.

"But—"

"I'm fine by myself Mai," he said suddenly, cutting her off. "You can just go to bed."

Mai pouted, faking tears. "You don't like me anymore do you?" she cried making Lin pause in his typing. "You want me to leave! Because you hate me don't you?"

"Mai…"

"You do!" she cried laughing at the look on Lin's face as he tried to calm her down.

"Mai, I just meant you must be tired and you should get some sleep. I don't hate you." Lin said patting her back awkwardly.

"Really?" she asked all her fake tears gone, Lin froze.

Before Lin could react of Mai could move away from him the door burst opened to show and very disgruntled looking Naru, who also looked strangely happy about something. "Lin!" he shouted grabbing Mai's arm and pulling her chair closer to his own. "Check the monitor for my room for the last hour!" he said excitedly.

Lin brought it up on the screen without question and wait for Naru to explain what they were looking for. Naru told him to bring up the infrared camera, pointing at the screen as the temperature dropped in the room. A moment later he and Yakumo Saito walked in to the room.

"Freeze it." Naru commanded watching a simmering image in the corner of the room, it had the faint outline of a man, too tall to be Japanese.

"Is that…?"Mai asked gapping at the screen, as a shiver ran down her spine. 'So there are ghosts here.' She thought as Naru started to explain. "If what Saito said is true then I think that is the spirit of the young man who was killed tonight."

Mai stared watching as Yakumo seemed to talk to the spirit, his form flickering in and out as the seconds ticked by. "Is there audio?" Mai asked turning up the sound on the TV.

"Yes." Lin said pressing a button on his computer.

Yakumo's voice crackled to life on the tape. "Can you remember?" he was saying as the shadow wavered in the light.

Mai jumped grabbing the nearest person to her, as a blood chilling voice answered over the tape. "No." it rasped in a whisper. The audio stopped working after that, only bits and pieces of fuzzy conversation could be heard. Mai shivered her hand digging into soft flesh.

"Mai calm down." Naru said softly, resting a hand on top of hers.

"Sorry." Mai blushed turning back to the screens.

The ghost flickered on the screen, as Yakumo asked. "_Is there anything you can remember? How tall he was, a smell, anything." _ The video flickered again, as Yakumo smiled. "_Yes, that will help a lot. Thank you."_ The ghost shadow flickered one last time before he disappeared into the far wall and out of the house.

"_You done?"_ Naru snapped glaring at Yakumo, who turned glaring at the obnoxious narcissist. _"I would like to get some sleep before morning."_ Naru said before Yakumo could say anything.

"_You scared him away."_ Yakumo growled shoving passed him.

"Okay stop there." Naru said staring at himself on the monitor. 'Admiring himself in his stupid black silk pajamas, no doubt.' Mai thought rolling her eyes. "He knows something that we don't." Naru stated pointing at Yakumo as he was about to exit the camera frame. "We need to know what it is that the spirit told him."

Mai sighed, she paused as she realized she was clinging to whoever it…"Naru!" Mai gasped letting go of her boss's arm as fast as she could.

"What?" Naru asked completely oblivious to their previous situation they had just been in.

"Not-nothing." Mai stuttered flashing red as Lin turned smiling. "I'm going to bed."

"Not by yourself." Naru said grabbing the back of her shirt. "Lin pack it up, let's head to bed. We'll go over it again in the morning."

Lin nodded locking up the computer as Naru pulled Mai along behind him.

* * *

Haruka glanced down at Yakumo worriedly, it wasn't normal for him to act like this; he'd been staring off into space for the last hour. "Yakumo? Did you fall asleep with your eyes opened?" she asked poking him in the cheek.

"No." he growled, "I'm fine Haruka."

Haruka cocked an eyebrow. "Uh huh."

"I am!" he snapped trying to sit up.

"Stop! You're going to hurt yourself again!" Haruka shouted, pinning his shoulders to the bed. He stared up at her, annoyed at her sudden attention. It wasn't fair that it was only when he was sick or hurt that she cared about him. "You're such a baby." Haruka mumbled softly, rubbing his hair back from his face. "Just get some sleep okay?"

Yakumo sighed, deciding to enjoy it while it lasted, letting his body relax as he concentrated on her hand running across his forehead.

* * *

Jori slammed the lid unto the garbage can, sealing the foul odor inside it. He had just finished the last of the scrubbing for the night and was finally able to head up to bed.

Ren popped into the room smiling at his friend's hard work. "It looks great." He said walking over to Jori and the large garbage cans he had filled. "Need a hand?"

"Yeah that would be great." Jori said tiredly lifting one can, while Ren got the other. They walked down the dark halls and headed towards the kitchen, where the large garbage compressor was waiting for them.

"So did Haruka make it to the Garden?" Jori asked nudging his friend playfully.

"No." Ren answered sighing as he dropped the can next to the control panel; he pressed the button to open the compressor, waiting as the machine slowly opened.

"What happened?" Jori asked confused. "I thought you had it set up."

"I thought so too, but she couldn't come out to see me." Ren asked shrugging. "I guess something came up."

"You didn't call her?" Jori asked shocked, en sometimes seemed like a needy little girl, because he called his girlfriends about every little thing. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Ren said annoyed. "I don't want her to dump me like the rest of them did Jori." He blushed. "I really like her."

"Oh, how cute." Jori teased slapping his shoulder. "then tell her. She's not going to know from you just being nice; you have to tell her how you feel."

Ren opened his mouth about to respond when the compressor made a strange sucking sound and came popping opened, releasing the most horrible smell of rotting flesh, they had ever smelt in their lives.

They back way gagging, trying to cover their mouths with hands and sleeves, anything to stop the smell. "We have to get that Detective guy!" Ren yelled shoving Jori out of the room, "Come on!"

The compressor was filled with wiggling maggots and flies, but under these disgusting insects was the source of the smell, pilled in a horrible heap where five bodies, each with similar wounds as the victim that had been found earlier that day.

"A/N. So this took way too long, I'm very sorry everyone! But I do have a good reason why this is so late, I got a job, two actually, so I hope you'll all bear with me and keep reading when I'm able to update! I hope you love this chapter and that it's worth the wait. Sorry again. GiggleMaster13 \=o=/ )


	7. Chapter Seven: It begins

Disclaimer: I do not own either of these stories of the characters that are from them.

* * *

John yawned, watching as his two Japanese friends paced around his bedroom both mumbling too fast for him to follow. John was not even sure how it had ended up like this or why his room had become a secret meeting room for the two older people.

Ayako stop snapping her fingers together as she pointed at Hosho. "That's it!" she shouted happily surprising the two men.

"What's what?" Hosho asked slumping down on the bed next to John.

"Mai was just pretending to have a boyfriend to make Naru jealous!" Ayako said smiling. "I just know she would have told me if she started dating, especially if it was such a hot guy." she said crossing her arms in triumph.

"Not so fast! I don't think Mai would tell a busy-body like you before me anyway, but it makes sense that she started dating him. He is a lot nicer than Naru." Hosho said bitterly.

John raised a hand waiting for the two to calm down before he said meekly. "Mai told me she was dating Jori-kun four nights ago after her group date."

Ayako and Hosho froze before turning to stare at their blond friend. "What?" they asked together closing in on him.

A knock on John's bedroom door saved him from the preying questions He jumped up and answered smiling at the Detective standing outside his bedroom door. "Detective Gotou-san! What brings you here?" John asked opening the door to show him the inside of the room.

"I was just wondering where all the noise was coming from." Gotou said gruffly feeling bad that he had bother John. He had been shocked to learn such a young man was a Priest, but it had put him way up there in people he respected. "Sorry to bother you Father Brown."

"Oh no, I wasn't sleeping. I apologize I had no idea that you could hear these two." John said bowing to the older man "Please forgive them. They're heading to bed now anyway."

Hosho and Ayako glared at John before the walked past the two and headed for the own rooms. But not without shooting him pointed looks that clearly said they'd find out what he knew tomorrow.

"Sorry again father." Gotou said bowing as he left.

John closed the door, letting a sigh of relief out as it clicked shut behind him at least he would have time to warn Mai, before they found too much out. Shaking his head, he headed back to his bed to get so much needed rest.

* * *

It wasn't long after he had gone to Father Brown's room that Ishii was pounding on his door, nearly knocking the pictures off the wall as he shouted from the hallway.

Gotou pulled himself out of bed and walked over to the door yanking it opened before he yelled. "What do you want? It's one in the morning!"

"Detective Gotou Sir, we have a problem." Ishii said unfazed by his outburst.

...

Detective Gotou grimaced holding a thick cloth over his mouth, as the Coroner team removed the bodies, placing them all into Bodies bags to be transported back to the police station.

"When will you know who they were?" Gotou asked looking at the gleeful coroner; Hata turned a sadistic grin distorting his face.

"What?" he asked, rubbing his hands together.

"When. Will. We. Know. Who. They. Are." he asked grinding his teeth together, while trying to hold the cloth in place.

"Oh, tomorrow night at the latest." Hata said, smiling. "We can't rush these things." he added picking up a lose finger.

Gotou gagged, moving away from the smell and the disturbing Coroner. "Call me as soon as you get the results." he barked over his shoulder.

"Yes, yes."

"Sir, the staff would like permission to clean the compressor." Gotou stopped looking at the police officer.

"You tell them this is a crime scene, and no one is cleaning anything until all the evidence has been collected, bagged and tagged, and only then can they even come into this room." Gotou said glaring at the younger man.

"Yes, Sir." he answered bowing low, before he left to tell the five male staff members.

Gotou sighed, rubbing at a sore spot next his left eye as he watch the young man, they really weren't training them like they used to. In his day-

"Detective Gotou-san sir." Isshi asked coming up behind him, breaking him out of his rather discouraging thoughts. "These two are the ones who found the bodies." Isshi said pointing to Ren and Jori who were standing as far from the compressor as possible while still being in the room. "They only arrived this morning and have never been on the property before today so they aren't suspects."

"Have they been cooperating?" Gotou asked watching the two young man.

"Yes, they've answered all my questions and have been very helpful." Isshi said pushing up his glasses, he sounded puzzled like he'd expected them to be horrible just because one was dating Haruka.

"Good." Gotou said. "Send them to bed, we'll find them tomorrow if we have more questions for them."

"Yes sir."

* * *

"I don't get it!" Ren said slamming his fist into the elevator wall.

"What, that they have an elevator and forgot to tell us? Come on man you can't be mad about that can you?" Jori asked leaning next to the control panel.

"No, well yes I'm annoyed by that but I mean-"

"You either are or you aren't-"

"We just found bodies! And not animals! HUMANS! Doesn't that bother you?" Ren shouted glaring at his friend's aloof attitude.

Jori's face darkened.

"I mean-"

"Yes it bothers me, but there's nothing I can do Ren and if I'm going to be a police officer, I need to learn to deal with stuff like that." he said jabbing his finger down at the floor.

"I guess but-"

"Ren, please." Jori said clutching at his side. "I'm just trying not to pass out or vomit."

Ren nodded, guilt burning at his insides and he watch his friend shaking ever so slightly as he tried to calm himself down. "Sorry." he mumbled leaning back against the wall. The elevator doors opened and Mai rushed in looking around until she spotted Jori.

Ren watched in shock as she moved to hug him.

"Are you okay?" she asked looking at Ren and then the man she was hugging, almost without thinking.

"Yeah, all things considering." Ren wasn't sure what was more shocking Mai running in to hug his best friend or that Jori had started to cry almost as soon as her arms closed around him. He watched them for a second before getting off the elevator only to be attacked from behind by a set of small arms.

"REN!" Haruka said slamming into him. "I just heard, are you alright?"

"Haruka..." Ren smiled, yeah he was alright even if his knees started shaking and his legs gave out, he was alright.

'It's alright." Haruka soothed kneeling next to him, she rubbed his back and pulled his head onto her shoulder, just letting him try and find himself again. It seemed liked the shock hadn't yet set in until they'd been alone in the elevator and now with the girl comforting them, there wasn't anything they seemed to be able to hold back. "You'll be okay. I'm sure of it..."

Ren sniffed feeling really stupid for crying so much, as he wiped his eyes and look at Haruka, who was smiling sadly at him. "Gotou-san says they'll be able to notify the families soon, it's all thanks to you and Jori finding them, another day and they would have been sent to the dump."

Ren looked at her shocked. "What?"

"It's true, and then the chances of anyone finding them would have gone down to zero." Haruka patted his head affectionately. "You did really well."

Ren smiled tearfully, leaning back into her arms. They stayed there a while, until Jori and Mai came out of the elevator, which had been going up and down for the past half hour.

"Hey." Jori said waving at them. Ren snarled at him, feeling even more stupid, because of his friends composed look, while he was still tearing up, sitting on the floor, with Haruka rocking him.

* * *

Naru walked into the main base trying to stifle a yawn as he pushed his way into the almost empty room, Lin was already sitting at his desk going over video footage from last night. He was starting at a hallway watching as two girls ran along, one stopping outside the elevator and while the other ran into it as soon as the doors opened.

"What are you looking at?" Naru asked dropping into his seat, he was still half asleep but he didn't need to hide in front of Lin, after all the man had known him since he was ten there wasn't much that he didn't already know about Naru.

"Mai and the other girl." Lin said plainly. If Ayako of Hosho had been in the room, no doubt one of them would have made a crack about it, but being just Naru and Lin, there wasn't much room for humor.

"Doing?" Naru asked turning his own attention to the screen.

"See for youself." Lin said getting to his feet and stretching while Naru watched his Mai hanging off some other guy's arm. Lin watched with a silent amusement as Naru's back stiffened, he knew even if the younger man wouldn't admit it that he had feeling for Mai that went far past just 'friends'.

Lin just hoped that he would see it too before she was caught by some other man who loved her openly, instead of in a strange unbeknownst of both parties sort of way.

Naru snapped himself out of his frozen state and turned to Lin, masking his discomfort with cold eyes and a straight face. "Did the camera's pick up anything unusual last night?"

Lin shook his head, "Nothing strange has happened since the temperature drop in your room, though since they removed the bodies from the compressor last night there have been a number of disturbances in the lower levels of the house." Lin showed Naru the temperature readings from that part of the house and continued. "I think it would be best if we set up some cameras down in the lower levels and in the kitchen."

Naru nodded, "I'll tell Gray." A strange feeling started to swell in his chest, making his whole body heat up uncomfortable, as he stood and made his way towards the doors, he felt agitated, and he couldn't seem to figure out why he was feeling that way, it wasn't like he cared what Mai did on her free time. She wasn't so helpless that he had to watch her all the time. "Just most of it." A voice said softly in his head.

Naru paused, but didn't take too much time to think about that as he pulled the door opened and left Lin in the empty base. Or was it?

Gene signed watching his brother disappear as the door closed behind him. What was he going to do with him?

* * *

John watched with sleep laden eyes as Mai explained her strange behavior to Hosho and Ayako for the fifth time since they had walked in on Lin watching the video tape of her in the elevator. They had been drilling her with question since she walked in, much to Naru's angry, because she hadn't been able to make him tea since then, and John could see he was running on low.

"I think," John said catching everyone's attention, because he had said a word since they entered the room. "That Mai has a right to do whatever she wants, and that she is old enough that she should have to explain herself."

Mai beamed. "Thank you John-san, at least I know you love me."

Hosho and Ayako had been glaring at John until Mai spoke, they both turned looking horrified. "We love you!" they shouted together.

Mai narrowed her eyes. "Really? Because usually people who love each other, trust each other."

"We trus—" Ayako started, but Mai cut her off. "That why you followed me on my date? And why you have been so hostile to Jori even though you don't know him?"

"Because we don't know him!" Hosho said whining. "It's not that we don't trust you, we don't trust him. We don't know anything about him."

"But I do." Mai said frowning. "I know him, and I trust him enough to want to date him. So why can't you trust me enough to trust him?"

They looked down at their feet as she continued. "Well it just means that John, Lin and Naru love me more."

Naru looked up at her then, a strange expression that none of the team had seen before on his face, it was almost a wince. "Mai."

"Yes, Naru?" Mai took a step towards him; she must be feeling bad for making him make such face. John wasn't sure what to do, maybe he just needed tea.

"Will you please make me some tea?" Naru asked.

The room was still, everyone frozen in a shocked silence as they all stared at him.

John, Hosho, Ayako and Mai nearly died from shock, when Lin started to chuckle it was a hearty sounded that would have lightened the mood if not for the surprise it instilled in the occupants on the room.

Lin shut his mouth turning back to the computers and started to type at super-speed, making more than enough noise to block out whatever strange questions they might throw at him.

"I'll go make some tea." Mai said breaking the uncomfortable silence that had filled the room. John stood, "I'll come to if you don't mind." He said to Mai already opening the door for her.

"Sure John lets go."

(A/N. Sorry everyone for taking so long, I'll try and get the new chapter up very soon! But in case it's not before Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! (=3=)/


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